Ice cream, Me and You
by Anaxine
Summary: Nagisa thinks Makoto only has time for Haruka, so Makoto took Nagisa out for ice-cream, and then Nagisa suddenly said that he hated being Makoto's friend. How will Makoto face it? (I fixed it)


Disclaimer : I do NOT own free! (unfortunately)

Hello, It's been awhile…okay, more than a while, but I was more interested in reading fanfictions than writing them, so I stopped for a period of time. Then, I ran into free! I realized, I love Makoto and Nagisa. But they have too little fanfiction…we need more Makogisa fans!

This is how I interpret them, so…here goes. Hope you like it.

Nagisa was sitting on the edge of the Iwatobi pool with his feet in the water. The feel of the smooth liquid was soothing to him. He watcjed as his feet move back and forth. He heard a splash and looked up. It was Makoto's turn to practice his time. He watched as muscled arms cut through the air and then sink back down into the water.

"Nagisa-kun," Rei called, waking him out of his trance, "We should get going, we have a test tomorrow. We're done with practice anyway," He said pushing his glasses.

"Can we get ice cream on the way? Pretty please, Rei-chan!" Nagisa pouted.

"No" Rei left for the changing room.

"Eh?! Why not!"

Makoto slammed his hand against the pool wall, panting. He took off his goggles and looked up to see Gou with a clipboard in her hands. She scribbled something on the board and smiled at him.

"You did well, much better than last time. Keep it up, Makoto-senpai" She lent him a hand.

Makoto smiled and pulled himself up, "Thanks,"

Gou handed him a towel which he gladly accepted. He dried his face and then his hair. He looked again towards the pool and saw Haruka floating on the surface. His eyes were closed and his body was relaxed. It might take a while for Haruka to get out of the water, so he went to change first. Breathing a heavy sigh, he walked over to the changing room and found a half dressed Nagisa. He had his pants on, but the fly was wide open showing a pink printed penguin underwear. His shirt was unbuttoned and his hair was ruffled. The sight made Makoto blush. The said blonde himself was focused on the leather around his waist and didn't seem to notice Makoto.

"Nagisa, can you get dressed properly?" Makoto sighed.

Nagisa looked up and met Makoto's green eyes. His face broke into his usual bubbly grin. He stopped fiddling with his belt and tackled Makoto who reeled back in surprised.

"Mako-chan! Rei-chan won't let me buy ice-cream! He's such a meanie" Nagisa whined.

"Ice-cream would be a waste of time. Not to mention, It's not beautiful when it melts," Rei said with a huff.

"But-…They're delicious, Rei-chan…" Nagisa said puffing his cheeks.

Makoto laughed at his junior's antics. Rei and Nagisa have always been the closest of friends, like him and Haruka. The four of them have something special that draws them to each other. Stragely, though, sometimes, Makoto finds himself envious of Nagisa and Rei. He had always thought that it was something akin to his 'motherly instincts', but with time, he realized that it was something different. The bickering of the penguin and the butterfly snapped him out of his reverie.

"REI-CHAAAAANNN!" Nagisa practically yelled.

"Nagisa, why don't I buy you ice-cream some other time? You can have as many as you want" Makoto interrupted.

"Eh? Really?!" Nagisa jumped up and down. Suddenly he stopped,"But…You'll be too busy hanging out with Haru-chan" He visibly shrunk.

"I can spare time for you too"

Nagisa gave a small smile and sighed, "Don't worry about the ice-cream, I'll buy it some other time"

Makoto was confused. This is DEFINITELY unlike Nagisa. To turn down an invitation for food? Although…Makoto and Nagisa have been drifting apart lately. It's probably Makoto's fault. He could remember just how many times Nagisa suggested an activity. He can also remember letting Nagisa down every single time. Worse, his excuse would always involve Haruka.

"Sorry, Haru-chan and I have tests tomorrow, we're studying together"

"I'm sorry, I promised Haru-chan I would come for dinner"

"Haru-chan and I…"

"We have to…"

"Sorry, I can't. Haru-chan…"

Makoto felt were supposed to be best friends, like they used to. Now it feels like they were just club members. But, Makoto knew Nagisa is so much more than that. More than a club member, more than just friends and maybe even more than best friends.

"No" he said.

Nagisa stopped what he was doing and looked at Makoto, his brows drawn in confusion. He cocked his head sideways "Sorry?"

"No. I won't be too busy with Haru-chan. I am going to take you to an ice-cream shop and we are going to eat ice-cream wether you like it or not!" Makoto said sternly.

Rei and Nagisa were taken aback. The Makoto they knew was soft and mellow, they have never seen this side of him before. Nagisa and Rei looked at each other and smiled. Nagisa nodded.

"Okay then, what about Friday after school?" Nagisa grinned.

Makoto smiled, "Friday it is"

FRIDAY~

"Mako-chan, the ice-cream shop's pretty far from the station so you'll have to walk pretty far. Are you okay with that?" Nagisa asked.

They were walking side by side along the sidewalk to the city. It was summer and the weather was hot and humid. Nagisa, undisturbed by the weather, was bouncing in every step he took that it made Makoto a bit dizzy so he avoided looking at Nagisa unless necessary.

"It's fine, I promised anyway…" Makoto smiled.

Nagisa grinned, "Thanks by the way…and I can assure you, I will take you to the cheapest ice-cream shop in Japan, and It's going to be worth it!"

"Great, I can't wait to have a taste" Makoto chuckled and looked up at the clear blue sky above him "Nagisa, which do you prefer? Ice-cream or cake?"

Nagisa stopped in his tracks, but it took Makoto a while to realize that Nagisa is not bouncing beside him anymore. He turned around and saw Nagisa looking at the ground. He was frowning and he looked pained. Makoto walked up to him, worried. He bent down so he was at Nagisa's eye level.

"Nagisa? Are you alright?" .

"I-I…" Nagisa stuttered.

"What? A stomachache? Pain in your chest?" Makoto panicked.

"'I…can't choose…"

"…"

"…"

Makoto laughed.

"Wh-! Mako-chan! This is serious! If I were to choose only one, I won't be able to make a decision!" Nagisa scolded him.

"Don't worry, I won't make you choose between cake or ice-cream again" Makoto ruffled Nagisa's hair.

Nagisa pouted at Makoto, then looked behind him. His eyebrows rose and his mouth turned into an 'O'.

"Oh! Mako-chan! We're almost there!" Nagisa said running forward and leaving Makoto to dust.

"Eh? Nagisa wait!" Makoto turned and followed his blonde friend.

And sure enough, Makoto could see an ice cream shop just in front of him. It looked cosy and nice, but 20 feet away from it, Nagisa suddenly turned ninety degrees to the right. Makoto almost tripped over his own feet because of the abrupt change of direction.

"Wait, Nagisa! The shop is right over there!" Makoto pointed to the white building that definitely says 'Honey Ice-cream'.

"We're not going there! We're going somewhere much better" Nagisa yelled as he stood on top of a stair. Yes. Nagisa turned into a small alley with lots of stairs. Much like the path to Haruka's house, but this one is much narrower and it has trees on either side, so they don't have to walk under the strong heat of the sun.

Makoto sighed but made his way up anyway. When they reached the top, it was nothing like a city. It's as if the stairwell itself was a magical door to another universe.

It was a praire. Grass rustled in the wind as far as the eyes could see. The sound of birds singing alongside the breeze. It was absolutely serene. When he realized, Nagisa was already on his way to a small wooden house in the middle of the green.

"Mako-chan! We're here" Nagisa waved his hand energetically.

"Coming…"

When Makoto got there, it looked like an ordinary house with wooden walls and wooden roof. It was eaten away by weather, but it still stood tall. Like a historical little house. Standing in front of the aged home, Makoto felt like going back in time. He could definitely imagine the house in Edo. After a lot of calling on Nagisa's part, the sliding door slowly opened and revealed an old woman in her sixties.

"Good afternoon, granny Chie" Nagisa chirped and bowed in front of her.

"Er…Good afternoon, granny" Makoto bowed too.

"Nagisa-kun, you brought company. How nice…" Granny Chie smiled.

"Mako-chan, this is Granny Chie. Granny Chie, this is Makoto Tachibana," Nagisa introduced them.

"Nice to meet you…"

"So…This is Makoto?" She asked Nagisa, "the Makoto you were talking about yesterday?"

Nagisa nodded a thousand times, "This is him!"

"Have you been talking about me Nagisa?" Makoto asked confused.

Nagisa just giggled, "Right, granny Chie, we're here for your ice-cream"

"I have plenty to feed you and Tachibana-kun, Please, come in" She said stepping away from the doorway.

"Excuse me" Nagisa took off his shoes and placed them neatly on the side. He went inside and followed granny Chie.

"Wait! What have you been telling granny Chie, Nagisa!" Makoto asked bewildered.

After a lot of useless asking about what Nagisa told granny Chie about him, Makoto finally gave up. Waiting for their ice cream, they sat on the terrace which faces the praire. After sitting in silence for awhile, Makoto realized that this would be a record on how long can Nagisa go without talking. Makoto understood why he wouldn't talk, though. He didn't want to break the silence.

Makoto's gaze was on the praire, but as he looked and looked, his eyes landed on Nagisa. He sat cross legged with his palms spread on the floor behind him to support his weight. He looked so relaxed. Then Makoto moved his eyes upwards to his face. He had his eyes closed and a small satisfied smile was on his lips. He looked so calm. Without him chattering away, he actually looked older, more mature and, Makoto realized, beautiful.

"Are you and Haru-chan together?" Nagisa suddenly asked.

"EH?! No. We are nothing like that. Haru-chan and I are like daughter and mother…At least, that's what everyone says" Makoto scratched his head.

"I see…Do you like him?" Nagisa opened his eyes.

"No…I don't" Makoto said softly.

"You don't know how you feel about him or you don't like him?" Nagisa asked again.

"I don't like him,"

"Are you sure?" Nagisa narrowed his eyes.

"I DON'T like him! I like-" Makoto managed to swallow his words before they came out.

Nagisa raised his eyebrows and stared into Makoto's eyes. A devilish grin already forming on his lips.

"Tell me!" Nagisa leaned forward.

"No. I wont't tell you no matter how many times you ask me"

"Mako-chaaaaan~" Nagisa whined.

"I'm not telling you! It's… confidential…"

Nagisa huffed and glared at Makoto then looked away pretending to be offended. When Nagisa broke the contact, Makoto was already longing to see the dark pink in his eyes again. He was about to apologize when he heard the creak of wood. He turned around and saw granny Chie with a tray of ice creams. He immediately stood up to help her.

"Strawberry for Nagisa-kun" He passed the bowl to Nagisa,"and –is chocolate good for you, Tachibana-kun?" Granny Chie handed him a bowl of chocolate ice-cream. Nagisa was already gobbling his share of the ice cream.

"Yes. Thank you," Makoto said as he took the bowl from granny Chie.

He took a spoonful and let it melt in his mouth. The taste was extraordinary. It was sweet, bitter and plain all at once. The texture was soft as it melts and he could still taste the cool even when it turned into a pool of liquid ice-cream in his mouth. He took another spoonful and then another and another, and the next thing he knew, he was gobbling it up like Nagisa.

"That was the best ice-cream I have ever tasted in my whole life. Thank you, Nagisa, thank you granny Chie," He sighed, contempt.

"There's no need to thank me. I should be thanking you," granny Chie chuckled.

"Eh? Why?"

"For taking care of Nagisa-kun,"

"It's really nothing…" Makoto blushed.

"Yeah. Besides, he's not taking care of me, he takes care of Haru-chan," Nagisa shrugged.

"Don't say that. I'm sure he cares about you a lot," granny Chie frowned "Don't you, Tachibana-kun?"

"Eh? Yeah…" Makoto smiled weakly.

"Oh, that's right…I have to go to the city to buy some things. Now you two be good boys and take care of the house, okay?"

"Yes, Granny Chie. Have a safe trip" Nagisa waved goodbye. Not long after, the front door opened and then closed. Leaving them in deafening silence.

"Do you really?" Nagisa asked looking at Makoto with expectant eyes.

"What?"

"Do you really care about me?" Nagisa blushed lightly.

"Of course I do…" Makoto smiled, "You're my best friend"

Nagisa flinched, "But…you don't show it"

"I'm sorry, I was too focused on taking care of Haru-chan that I barely have time for you…I know now…And I feel really awful" Makoto burried his face in his hands.

"I feel awful too…" Nagisa mumbled. He thought Makoto wouldn't hear it, but with the silence around them, it's impossible.

"Why do you feel awful?"

"…Makoto," Nagisa looked at him straight in the eye, "I don't like being your friend"

Makoto paled and his heart was beating so fast. No way. Makoto hated losing a friend. He loathed the time Rin had to go to Australia and left the three of them alone. Not to mention the time when Iwatobi swim club had to be closed, and he lost contact with Nagisa for awhile. It was devastating for him. Now, when he was reunited with Nagisa again, it's Nagisa who wants to part with him. The world should have ended right then, but the birds were still singing, the wind was still blowing and the sun was still shining. If it's not the end, then what is it?

That's when Makoto realized the other meaning of those words. The one NOT so literal. It wasn't the end. It was the beginning. Makoto smiled the biggest smile ever.

"I don't like being your friend too"

Nagisa's eyes widen and he grinned. He wrapped his arms around Makoto's neck and hugged him tightly. Makoto could feel his breath tickling his neck and the smell of him. Strawberry and something he couldn't quite put, it smelled…soft. Makoto wrapped his arms around the smaller figure and returned the hug.

"Then, to promise me you'll spend more time with me than you would with Haru-chan" Nagisa whipered in his ear.

"…I promise" Makoto smiled, "But in return, I don't want you to spend too much time with Rei too…Even I can get jealous too, you know…"

Nagisa giggled and let go of Makoto. Makoto loosened his arms but he still held onto Nagisa's hand.

"Mako-chan, kiss me"

Makoto blinked. Then his cheeks suddenly felt hot and he knew his face was as red as a tomato. He chuckled nervously before inching closer to Nagisa's face.

Nagisa closed his eyes and waited. Then he felt soft lips connected to his skin. It was brief, soft and shy. When he opened his eyes again, Makoto was blushing like crazy. And he only kissed Nagisa on the cheek.

"That's not what I meant!" Nagisa frowned. He brought Makoto's hand and gently placed them on his lips. He kissed the middle finger then he placed it on his cheek. He looked straight into wide green eyes, "Kiss me on the lips"

Makoto gulped. His thumb gently brushed Nagisa's cheek and he moved closer and closer. Then their lips touched. Makoto had never kissed anyone and was unsure of what to do next. He put a little more force on it and Nagisa's lips moved. He followed the lead and went with the flow. But eventually they broke apart. Nagisa was chuckling.

"What? Was I that bad?" Makoto asked.

"You're still new at this, right? So you don't have to be ashamed of it. I am too…"

"But…you're so good"

Nagisa shrugged, "You taste like ice-cream, by the way…"

Makoto smiled and kissed the top of Nagisa's head, "You too"

END.


End file.
